WESTLAKE, Ohio (WOIO) – Homeowner Rob Button flipped the switch on Thursday for his new solar panels, marking the 500th home helped by Cuyahoga County’s Residential Solar Co-Op Program.
“A sunny day like today, I can’t wait to see what the numbers are,” Button said about his savings on electricity.
Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne says the program has been an effort since 2016 to help county homeowners utilize solar energy.
“This is all about affordable green energy in Cuyahoga County,” Ronayne told the crowd gathered in Becky and Rob Button’s driveway.
The county solar co-op can save homeowners about 20% on the cost of solar panels through group buying and also help homeowners with their purchase.
“I’ll tell you, they made it so easy,” Rob Button explains.
The Buttons estimate it might take about eight years to recoup the initial, upfront cost of the solar panels, usually between $10,000 and $20,000, but Chris Ronayne says the savings are long-term and important.
“You’re looking at a twenty-percent savings on your energy bill over twenty-five years,” Ronayne explained. “So, for us, this is a bottom line ‘good for our climate’ and ‘good for the homeowner.’”
“This summer, we’re not going to be paying anything for electricity,” Button said. “We’ll be able to run the air conditioner as much as we want, and we’ll be generating way more power than we’ll be using.”
You can find more information on the program on the Cuyahoga County website.
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